The specific aim of the proposed research is to refine an automated system that allows patients to complete a comprehensive questionnaire for preoperative assessment. A total of 200 patients will take the questionnaire, HealthQuiz, via touch-tone telephone from their homes. One hundred will take the questionnaire and then be debriefed in a telephone interview. The others will take the questionnaire while being observed by the investigator. Usability testing methods will be employed to identify causes of error in responding, difficulties experienced with the task, and causes of dissatisfaction. Changes to the telephone system will be made after each round of 20 interviews, and the effectiveness of these changes subsequently tested. Most patients do not receive a preoperative evaluation by an anesthesiologist before the day of surgery. An easy-to-use, well accepted preoperative assessment questionnaire that patients can take from their homes should result in better patient preparation for surgery at tertiary and community hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. Future research, building on the results of the proposed project, will test the hypothesis that telephone preoperative assessment results in a lower incidence of unnecessary preoperative testing, delays, and cancellations; fewer adverse intraoperative events; lower costs; and greater patient satisfaction. Many of the improvements that are identified will be applicable to the administration of other health questionnaires by touch-tone telephone.